I am a balanced person: Atharvaa

On Eetti: It’s a sports film with proper commercial elements. I play a hurdler in it. It is about a boy who comes from Tanjore to Chennai to attend a national sports meet and gets involved with the underworld mafia. Basically, I am a football fan and love all sports. Hence, I had put in a lot of effort for Eetti.

The Bala effect: People started approaching me with challenging scripts after I was featured in Bala sir’s Paradesi. A few filmmakers said that they wrote scripts keeping me in mind. It was a great feeling. But I didn’t accept whatever came my way, because I wanted to do justice if I pick a script. This script too came to me immediately after Paradesi, through Thaanu sir and I were hesitant to accept it then. After a few months, once again Vetri Maaran sir referred it to me. I thought I was destined to do this film and didn’t want to let go.

Got trained with real hurdlers: Initially the protagonist character was a sprinter. Later, when we realised that many films have been made on the sport, I and director Ravi Arasu, a former associate of Vetri Maaran discussed and changed his character to a hurdler. I was given training with some of the top athletes, and everyone running around me is a national champ. I was amazed, and it took me three months to get even a hold of the sport.

Six packs abs needed for the role: I used to be abnormally built. I wanted to change my physique. Everyone around me in training looked like an athlete, and hence I wanted to look proper for my role and chose to achieve a six-pack. It is very important to transform into the character you are playing. But I worked out for many months to achieve this.

Fitness freak: People ask me how I still retain my six-pack. I got it in a proper way, not resorting to artificial means or shortcuts, which are harmful. I workout regularly and eat healthy. And remaining fit gives me more confidence.

The pressure of being a star son: If you are a layperson, no one compares you with any one. But if you are from a filmy family, comparisons are bound to happen. I took it in a positive way and didn’t want to think that was a burden. I am a balanced person. After all, the responsibility of carrying on the legacy of my dad Murali is always on my mind.

Began with Nasser sir’s theater: I was a shy person, and after a certain stage I used to watch four films a day. But in that phase, I never wanted to become an actor. Appa asked me one day if I was interested. He was very close to Nasser uncle. He told me that the right person to advise me was Nasser sir. He asked me several questions for which I didn’t have any answer. He asked me to join his theatre, which was a big learning curve for me.

On co-star Sri Divya: I never met her for the first 30 days. Only my portions were shot initially. She is a very quiet person. But in front of camera, she is brilliant performer.

You were linked up with Priya Anand: (Laughs) She is just my good friend. I will openly admit if I am in a relationship. I dated someone outside the film industry (can’t reveal her name). We were seeing each other, but now we are good friends.